


A compelling backstory for Lucius Malfoy

by Lilas1739



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:33:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27978147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilas1739/pseuds/Lilas1739





	1. Chapter 1

Ok. So we have the Wiki and the books to explain a little of Lucius Malfoy, but they are many blanks in his backstory that is wonderful for the fanfic writers. We also have J.K Rowling's Pottermore article about the Malfoy family. What can we draw from it.

-The Malfoy family is a family of pseudo-aristocratic intrigants, courtisans. They court power, sometimes get into high positions but never take the lead, thus insuring a certain family safety. The kind of inwards dynamic is one of secrecy and privicy, with morality reserved for family time, and nothing else. They don't like doing the dirty world or being center stage, because that means having to pay the consequences for their wrong doing. 

-Unlike other pure-blood fanatics, they are not drawn to inbreeding, or at least not on a regular basis. This helps mitigate birth defects, chronic illnesses and other nasties. In fact, this inbreeding is less severe than cases of isolated muggles, since at least the Gaunts and the Lestranges are unwilling to marry their siblings, parents or aunts and uncles. 

-They place high value on reputation and image, generally speaking. Too bad if they're false. 

Now, let's look at Lucius' personnal stuff.

-He is a ruthless schemer, not above using children to get rid of a rival if need be. 

-He would never scheme against his family, from what we know off

-He makes a priority out of passing his values down to the next generation

-He is arrogant

-He is emotionally cold, even with his own son. 

-He is willing to take protégés and acts rather benevolently towards them (from what we see in his relationship with Snape)

-From what we know off, he is a rather respectful husband and loving father

-He is a very specific kind of sadist. He doesn't chase opportunities to hurt people, but does occasionally engage in recreational acts of intimidation. He is also willing to abuse a servant not even half his size, or at least command someone to do so.

-Is a slime ball ready to advance his family with very shady means. 

-Is willing to get his hands dirty up to a certain point. 

-Advocates for violence and is ready to use it.

-Seems to be indifferent to the perspective of corporal punishment (at least from what we infer from Draco. Never once did the boy say: "My father will hear about this" about Umbridge's new policy, and he disliked Dumbledore despite the fact he abolished corporal punishment in Hogwarts. Also, Lucius is willing to be a Death Eater, even though that means earning himself a "Crucio" from time to time".)

-When still at Hogwarts, he was a model student, a prefect and a member of the Slug Club.


	2. Explenation

The racism and the endless scheming just seem to be a set of family values. Lucius Malfoy is fairly good at it. For the Chamber of Secret things, it was impossible to predict that Harry was a Parsletongue that could open the Chamber of Secrets that wasn't opened in centuries. He also successfully putted Draco on the Quidditch team. Also, the narrative seem to suggest that he was at least partially responsable for grooming Severus Snape into a Death Eater. He also managed to get Buck's condemnation. Which again, he still failed but even then he become a victim to an uncheckable variable. Like what were the odds of a student getting a Time-Turner, that are explicitly said to be normally forbidden. And how could he predict that Buck be stolen by two kids and a wanted criminal. From Lucius' perspective, the biggest threat to the non-execution of the hippogriphe was Hagrid, and even then it would be a perfect excuse to get Hagrid in prison. In the Fifth, he failed, epically in retreating the Prophecy. So, although not a perfect Schemer, Lucius is reasonably good at it. He also tried to teach doing so to Draco, with limited success, mostly because Draco is too emotional for that sort of thing.


End file.
